There were two ways for the
Scottish settler to prove his identity and his legitimacy One was the
birth-brief which was issued in the town of his birth, signed by one or
more of the magistrates and duly sealed, another was the oral declaration
of legitimate birth. It was accepted instead of a birth-brief. Two friends
of the person concerned had to declare on oath before the magistrates of
the German town, here Danzig, that they knew him (or her) to be the
legitimate son (or daughter) of so-and-so, and his wife in Scotland.

Either of these proofs was
needed for the acquisition of civil rights and in cases of succession.

The Royal State Archives at
Danzig preserve a great number of these birth-briefs and
birth-declarations, whilst the two Archives at Konigsberg, the Royal State
Archive and the Stadt Archiv or Town Record Office, [The Stadt Archiv of
Konigsberg has passed through a long period of shameful neglect. Owing
chiefly to the energetic industry of Archivrath Doctor Joachim, the small
remnants of records is now well arranged and secured from further
spoliation. It is kept in the Kneiphofische Rathhaus, whilst the State
Records are kept in the Castle.] offer none or hardly any material.

In the following list
birth-briefs have been marked by the letters "Bb." The bracketed numbers
after the names refer to the age of the witnesses. D. = Danzig.

1. Robert Ainslie,
father James Ainslie, late barber at Jedburgh. Witnesses: James Ainslie,
glover and soldier, and Albert Ainslie, a burgess and silk merchant at
Stolp in Pomerania. (1649.)

13. Andrew
Black, from the village of Alreck (?), near Banff. Witnesses: Alb.
Morrisson, an illuminator, and J. Robinson at Danzig. 1619.

14. Albr. Blackhall,
son of the late A. Blackhall at Aberdeen. His brother William having died
at Frauenburg in Prussia, he and his sister Catharine, who married Hans
Forquart (Farquhar), became heirs. 1655.

15.. Jacob Black,
father James Black, in Hirschberg, in Annaberg, Silesia. 1634.

16. James Bruce, son
of Robert Bruce, in the town of Skellitoun (?), parish of Dunserf; John
Bruce and Grizel Hamilton, daughter of Gavin Hamilton. 1673. Bbr.

17. Robert Bruce, in
the parish of Erroll.

18. Mariot Bruce,
wife of Ths. Mar, in Kilspindie.

19. Isabel Bruce, wife
of John Robertson, Kinnaird. Nos.17-19 are certified to be brothers and
sisters of the late John Bruce at Danzig. Bbr. Perth. 1654.

20. Will. Brown,

father Henry Brown; mother Houston (or Hewiston), from
Dundee. Witnesses: Robert Lesslie and Jacob Houston, burgesses of Dundee.
Have been school-fellows. 1663.

father, Alexander Davidson of
Marienculter (Maryculter), "about a mile’s walk from Aberdeen." Witnesses:
Thos. Mengis from Collerlie, near Aberdeen; and Hans Brown, from Aberdeen,
glover and indweller of Danzig. 1652.

31. Andr. Dellor,
from the village of Alborti (?), ten miles off Aberdeen. Witnesses: Will.
Anderson and Ths. King, from Aberdeen. 1592. Bbr.

32. David Demster,
son of Geo. Demster and Isabella, from Brechin. 1631. Also written
Dempster. Bbr.

33. Thomas Demster,
son of the late Jas. Demster, "one of the nobility" (einer vom adell),
domiciled in Engelsmead (Inglismaldie in Marykirk, Kincardineshire), near
Brechin, and of Agneta Lyall, his mother. Witnesses: Alexander Demster,
burgess and merchant of Danzig, and Alb. Demster, a braid maker. 1633.

45. William Fraser,
son of W. Fraser, "magistri de Phoppachi." (Fopachy on the Beauly Firth.)
1670. Bbr. Inverness.

46. John Fyffe, son of
Jas. Fyffe in St Andrews. Witnesses: David Brodie and Robt. Morrisson,
tailor at D. 1652. ["Robt. Morrisson has been growing up with J. Fyffe,
the younger, and was a schoolfellow of his."]

47. Ths. Gall, son
of Ths. Gall in Montrose. Witnesses: W. Grub and W. Jeffrey at D., both
from Montrose. 1632.

50. Robt. Guthrie,
son of the "noble" William Guthrie of Minus, not far from the town of
Fervor (Forfar), and of Elis. Fenton. Witness: Henry Guthrie, merchant at
D. 1662.

51. W. Halyburton, son of the
"Magister" Andr. Halyburton of St Andrews and Cath. Lumsden.

Witnesses: Morrisson and Cassinus of
D. (80). 1680. Bbr.

52. Andr. Hervie, son of
William Hervie of Torreloyth (?) near Aberdeen. Witnesses: W. Anderson and
Oswald Dirring, of Aberdeen, inhabitants of D. 1598.

53a. Al. Henderson, son of
John Henderson, burgess of Perth, and Elis. Ellor. Witnesses: W. Anderson,
Hans Snell, Alex. Salmon, natives of Perth, now of D. Alex. Henderson died
1597 at D.

53b. William Henderson, son
of William Henderson, the Earl of Orkney’s late "Court Butcher" in
Kirkwall, and of Anne Spens. Witness: Elis. Sinckler, widow of Peter
Wilson. 1653.

54. W Hewison, son
of W. Hewison, Aberdeen. 1650.

55. Dan Heij (Hay).
Witness: Alex. Karkettle. 1690.

56. Hans Innes, son
of Alb. Innes, an "arrendator" at Park in Banffshire and of Marg. Leitch.
Witnesses: Jacob Stewart, a lieutenant, and Ths. Mackie, a tailor, both of
D. 1660.

57. Albrecht Jack,

son of Thomas Jack, merchant of D.
Witnesses: W. Wadrop and David Hogg, burgesses of D. 1622.

58. Thos. Jamieson,
son of John Jamieson, domiciled in Sklete (or Sklote), "about a mile’s
walk from Aberdeen," and of Barbara Simson. Witnesses: Alexander Simson,
burgess of Krakaw, and Will. Hewison, burgess of Posen. 1658.

59a. Andreas Kant, a
tanner, now a musketeer under Sergeant-Major Goltz, son of And. Kant.
1661.

59b. W. Kant, son of
the late John Kant, a tailor. Witnesses: Robt. Morisohu (80) and Alex.
Stuhrt (73), in the Elizabeth Hospital, D. 1681.

60. Hans Kilau (?),
son of the late I. Kilau, shoemaker and burgess of Aberdeen. Witnesses:
Gilb. Tzamer (Czamer), and Will. Ellhus (Ellis) of Aberdeen, now at D.
1637.

61. Jacob Kingawer
(?), son of Jas. Kingawer, late weaver at Wasserkarney (?), "three miles’
walk from Aberdeen," and of M. Young. 1666.

62. Jacob Leo (Lyon),
son of David Lyon, burgess of Edinburgh, and of Cath. Patterson, a
citizen of Danzig and a glover by trade. Died without male issue. One of
the witnesses is Alb. Morris, a tailor of Danzig and son-in-law to David.

72. John Maxwell,
son of James Maxwell, peasant, in the village of Auchtermuchty, "a two
miles’ walk" from Fachein (Falkland), "a small town in the Kingdom of
Scotland." Witnesses: Alex. Ross (75) and Hans Casin (90), labourers of D.
1682.

83. Al. Paip, from
the town of Tania (Tain) in Ross-shire, son of Gilbert Paip of Mickle
Rainy and Anne Munro, daughter of John Munro of Pitonachy. Witnesses:
Alex. Ross of Cockenzie and John Fergusson "de Allan." 1686.

84. Al. Paip, son of
the above. Witnesses: Geo. Buchan (70) and John James Gorman, burgess of
D. 1696.

85. A. Patterson,
from Kiling (?), Aberdeenshire. 1619.

86. David Patterson,
son of Hans Patterson in Erbraht (Arbroath). Witnesses: Jacob Smith, "a
horse soldier," and David Patterson. "Went to school together." 1656.

87. H. Pollock, from
Glasgow. Bbr.

88. Archibald Rait,
son of A. Rait and Elis. Abercrombie, parish of Rayne, Aberdeenshire. Left
Scotland 1651. Bbr. issued by J. Gordon, ballivus, Geo. Cruikshank de
Berrihill, Ja. Basken de Orde et Robt. Cruikshank de Rainystone. 1677. [In
the Kgl. St. Archiv, Posen. The Bbr. Is adorned with the
coat-of-arms of the Raits of Halgrein, Abercromby de Birkenbog, Cruikshank
of Tullymorgan and Leith of Likliehide.]

88a. Samuel Ramsay,
father and grandfather in Elbing. Witnesses: John Mallison, burgess and
brewer, and Thos. Smeaton, burgess, both of Elbing. 1687.

89. William Ramsay,
son of Patrick Ramsay, in the village of Wettray (?) Angus. Witnesses:
Will. Ramsay and David Macrecht. "Scottish Krämers." Bbr. 1629.

111. John Turner,
[See about him above. The reader will do well to compare the lists above
with those given in the Appendix of the Scots in Germany. ]son of John Turner and Marg. Keith, Aberdeen. Witnesses: William
and Andr. Turner, merchants at Przemysl in Poland, the heirs. 1688.

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